Minka and Curdy: The Enchanting Story of a Writer and Her Cats

Antonia White

Minka and Curdy: The Enchanting Story of a Writer and Her Cats
Format
Hardback
Publisher
Little, Brown Book Group
Country
United Kingdom
Published
5 October 2023
Pages
128
ISBN
9780349018478

Minka and Curdy: The Enchanting Story of a Writer and Her Cats

Antonia White

One of the most enchanting books about cats ever written, Minka and Curdy describes the adventures - and misadventures - of two very different kittens.

Victoria, a real tyrant of a cat, spent so many years training her owner to be the ideal hostess that Mrs Bell feels it would be disrespectful to replace that formidable creature. But her resolve is worn down, and she finally agrees to take a marmalade kitten - and is immediately offered a Siamese that she also simply cannot resist. This is the story of a writer seduced by the contrasting charms of two kittens: Curdy, lively and mischievous; and Minka, elegant, imperious, and disdainful of the ginger upstart.

Delightfully illustrated with line drawings, this is a witty and charming love letter to feline companionship from the author of Frost in May, and the perfect book for all cat lovers.

Review

Antonia White first published this delightful children’s classic in 1957, and it is as appealing now as it was then. As a cat owner, she knows the ‘real’ owner is the cat, and as a human she must do their bidding!

After the recent death of her long-living and imperious cat, Victoria, Mrs. Bell is lonely. Her friends actively assist in bringing two kittens into her life: Minka and Curdy. One is an elegant Siamese girl, and the other a big, splendid ginger tom cat. Mrs. Bell recounts the story of Minka’s less than friendly reaction to Curdy when the two kittens are introduced, and the lengths to which she goes to maintain peace.

White’s evocation of the cats’ traits and her translations of cat ‘language’ are charming, and the antics of all involved make for an engaging read-aloud story that would also suit independent readers aged 7+.

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